Sun-Induced Skin Cancer In Dogs & Cats

We’re all familiar with the role the sun plays in contributing to skin cancer in people, right? But are you aware that sun exposure can also lead to the development of skin cancer in cats and dogs? It’s true, and the most common type is called squamous cell carcinoma (which is also a common sun-induced skin cancer in people!).

While any cat or dog that spends any time outside (or lounging on a windowsill) on a sunny day is at risk, there are certain other factors that increase their risk. Some of these include:

Keeping Mosquitoes Away From Your Dog

With the outdoor activities you're partaking in and the recent talk of Zika and the ever-present West Nile Virus, you might be starting to think of ways to keep mosquitoes, flies, and other insects off of yourself and your dogs.

Dogs aren't (currently) known to get Zika, but they certainly can get West Nile and they (sadly) often get Heartworms... all from mosquitoes! While there are plenty of products out there to help keep insects off of you, when it comes to your dogs, there are only a handful that are both safe and effective. And many of the mosquito and bug repellent products for people are just downright unsafe for your pets!

Microchips Reunite Families... But They Need Your Help

You've taken the important step of having your pets microchipped, or they came already "chipped" from your local shelter... awesome!

But did you ever register their microchip? And do you know if your registration contact information is up-to-date in the registry?

Having your pets (including indoor-only cats) microchipped is a super important first step in increasing your chances that you'll be reunited with them should they run away, get lost, be stolen, or otherwise disappear in the blink of an eye from your life. Ever mistakenly leave a door open?

While having the microchip implanted is a super important step, it's not the only one. It's equally as important that you (1) register your contact information in one (or multiple) of the pet microchip registries listed below, and (2) check regularly to ensure that your contact information is always up-to-date in case the worst happens.

So, if you never registered your pet's microchip or if you're unsure if you did or whether or not your contact information is up-to-date, please read on. Your pet's safety, as well as your peace-of-mind depends on it. As do your local shelters and animal control! After all, properly registered and microchipped pets make their lives SOOOOOO much easier and help to keep the shelters less full.

Tips to help your dog keep its cool

With the current and upcoming high temperatures in many parts of North America, and indeed the world, it's a good idea to focus on the things that can help your dog stay cool and safe.

Obviously if you’ve got air-conditioning in your home and your dogs are able to hunker down in there during any heat spells, that’s typically the best option. But not everyone has A/C and not every dog is able to spend their time indoors, so here are some ideas that may help dogs that need to spend time outside during the summer.

State Laws Are Helping Pets Left In Hot Cars

In case you missed it, some big news that benefits both animals and people recently came out of Florida…

In March, Governor Rick Scott signed House Bill 131, making the “Sunshine State” just the second state where you now have legal protection to break into a locked vehicle to save a cat or dog (or other “domesticated pet” animal) that is in “imminent danger of suffering harm” due to their confinement in a hot vehicle. (Tennessee led the way in 2015, when their Governor, Bill Haslam, signed House Bill 537 into law.)

Just like people, dogs can get skin cancers that can be affected by prolonged or repeated sun exposure

As with many questions though, the answer to the question of whether or not to apply sunscreen to your dog isn’t exactly straightforward. Whether or not your dog needs sunscreen can be influenced by many different factors. Including, amongst others…

How much time your dog spends outside, and during what part of the day?

Sunny skies and warm weather typically are important elements to a great day – for both people and pets. During an especially nice day, you may even be tempted to curl up in a sunbeam with your pet, soaking up the Vitamin D. But warm weather also encourages people to open their windows, and for pet owners that live in buildings with more than two stories, this can lead to a very sad and scary condition called High-Rise Syndrome.

High-Rise Syndrome is a term coined by veterinarians at The Animal Medical Center in New York City due to the number and nature of injuries they were seeing from pets – especially cats – falling out of windows or off of fire escapes.

When Cats Fall:

They are likely to suffer injuries that extend well beyond broken bones.

Cats often wind up in this predicament after having been startled off their perch.

If your pet does fall out of a window, bring them immediately to your veterinarian for evaluation and treatment.

When cats fall, they are likely to suffer injuries that extend well beyond broken bones. This is particularly true when they fall from heights between two and seven stories. In such cases, it’s common for them to sustain bruising to their heart and lungs, fracture of their lower jaw and roof of their mouth, and experience swelling of their brain. Many of these cats will also suffer a rupture of their urinary bladder, internal bleeding, and fracture of their ribs.

Amazingly, many of these cats can still survive and do quite well. However, the treatment process is long, painful, and expensive. Costs for treating severe High-Rise Syndrome cases are often in the range of $2,000 to over $5,000, and these pets are typically in the hospital for several days. These poor guys require true intensive care, often requiring supplemental oxygen therapy and temporary feeding tubes. This should all serve to highlight the importance of taking steps to prevent this emergency, as well as to prepare you for what you might expect should it occur.

Interestingly, and likely because of their flexibility and their uncanny ability to right their body and relax during such falls, cats that fall from heights over 7 stories typically sustain fewer and less severe injuries. But that's not to say that you should let them do it! Even these cats can suffer painful or fatal injuries.

Here’s a great video about cats and High-Rise Syndrome from the folks at National Geographic, it’s well worth a few minutes of your time to watch…

Looking to keep your dog happy, healthy, and safe?

Take a look at these 10 Tips... your dog will thank you!

Please do not ask emergency or other specific medical questions about your pets in the blog comments. As an online informational resource, Preventive Vet is unable to and does not provide specific medical advice or counseling. A thorough physical exam, patient history, and an established veterinary-patient-client relationship is required to provide specific medical advice. If you are worried that your pet is having an emergency or if you have specific medical questions related to your pet’s current or chronic medical conditions, please contact or visit your veterinarian, an animal-specific poison control hotline, or your local emergency veterinary care center.

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